Global Scans · UK · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Achieving Brexit will dominate the UK's agenda up to and beyond 2020 with uncertainty rife until clear decisions are made on the form of Great Britain's future relationship with the EU and the rest of the world.

• [New] EIT Food is funding a single delivery partner to help oilseed rape farmers across the United Kingdom shift toward regenerative agriculture between 2026 and 2029. Impact Funding
• [New] AI is being adopted across the UK justice system faster than its impact on the public can be independently evaluated, a new report has warned. UKAuthority
• [New] The contract extension, awarded to BAE Systems, will support more than 4,500 workers across the UK in developing advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, advanced software, and augmented reality. UKAuthority
• [New] Electric aircraft and hydrogen-powered planes could become a common sight in UK skies, after 8 companies were awarded funding. Innovation News Network
• [New] The CCC listed a number of immediate concerns, including: - Over a third of railway and road kilometers are currently at flood risk, predicted to rise to around half by 2050. / UK Friends of the Earth
• [New] After a recent spell of hot weather for some, many will be asking whether the UK is likely to see any more heatwaves before the end of August. Met Office
• [New] Under devolution plans announced last week, by early 2028 regional mayors across England will be able to keep a share of income tax generated in their area. The Guardian
• [New] In spring 2027 it will bring in a social media ban for under-16s, which will include platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. / UK The Guardian
• [New] By the end of August UK bill payers living in flats or rented properties will be able to join the millions of people across Europe using balcony solar panels to lower their bills. The Guardian
• [New] Most people in Britain will have become increasingly aware of the more audacious behaviour of herring gulls in recent years. Spiked
• [New] Current and prospective trade partnerships have, at their core, the free flow of data, which will doubtless be a key consideration of the prospective UK-GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that could be a landmark of 2026. City AM
• [New] Vodafone intends to begin UK beta testing of its direct-to-device satellite service in early 2027. theregister
• [New] The establishment of new MCAs in 2028 and pending local government reorganization in England will undoubtedly identify duplication or overlapping skills. AtkinsRealis
• [New] The UK will join the US and Australia in the Precision Strike Missile programme, with a GBP 190 million investment in the short range ballistic missiles. Default
• [New] Thousands of British workers will accelerate development of advanced technologies for use by the Royal Air Force, following a £708 million investment announced today. GOV.UK
• [New] Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Meta are expected to spend more than $700bn on AI infrastructure in 2026, while Britain is competing to attract new data centers and computing capacity. City AM
• [New] The spending on the UK's nuclear defence currently supports around 47,000 British jobs - and is forecast to rise to 65,000 by 2030, including 22,000 apprenticeships by 2035. BBC News
• [New] At the same time the cost of upgrading Britain's electricity grid to cope with the influx of renewables is expected to reach £25 billion. Electricity Info
• [New] Plans to decarbonise Britain's energy network will cost consumers and taxpayers £40 billion a year by the end of the decade. Electricity Info
• [New] In the UK, 20 TWh-th of seasonal UTES, offsetting ~5% of annual heat demand for heat in 2050, could cut peak winter power demand by 10% and save up to $5 per MWh-e in system costs compared to natural gas or alternative seasonal storage options. Energy Transitions Commission
• [New] Sea-levels are set to rise by between 0.4 and 0.6 meters across UK coastlines by 2100, resulting in a 13% increase in areas classified as at risk of coastal flooding. University of Bristol
• In the medium term, the UK will need a bespoke deal, probably closer to Switzerland than to Norway, since Britain is unlikely to accept EU rules wholesale in services sectors where it has a comparative advantage, from the City of London to technology and AI. Centre for European Reform
• Britain has rejoined the Erasmus exchange programme, and will probably agree deals soon on youth exchange, emissions trading systems and veterinary standards. Centre for European Reform

Last updated: 04 August 2026